NickelGreen WallBlog

 
Fooling around with my feeds i found some updates from a Star Trek fan site "Ex astris Scientia" which holds lots of information and data from all the Star Trek series and movies.
I found a pic that has not been mentioned yet by Trekmovie.com (a site based on the next Star Trek movie by J. Abrahms, the creator of "lost") portraying a side view of what is perhaps the nex incarnation of the so well know trek starship: the Enterprise.
In fact it's a redesign of the original era ship, mainly because the next movie will be a prequel of the original series involving the original characters.

However it reminds me a lot of the ship that Gabriel Koerner reinvented for fun (you can access it from here).
Despite i'm not sure this image below will be the exact shape of the revised old ship, i like a lot how she looks like and i like how's drawed.

The Ex.astris.scientia does not allow me to put a link to its image so i'll explicitly put the link HERE.

Thanks to Edd Bott, a journalist I like the same way i do with Paul Thurrot,  post on his Windows Expertise,  I discovered the winner of the 31 Days of Dragon contest as reported by Robert McLaws.
And he is Nathan Scott, who made a wonderful video of how he uses Vista features for everyday work and fun.
It's not an adv spot or anything like that, but it's a nice and deep appreciation for Windows Vista. I like it and i like a lot how this guy writes about it in his blog he named "Here's what happens when i get creative".

You can see his video here under.

Since it has been a while i wrote here i'd like also to pick your attention on an ironic article by Paul Thurrot named "The state of Windows Vista" which is a report of the road Vista ran until now as if it ws the report of the President of United States in front of the Senate (many people who don't know how are political istitutions in America may not see the ironic in that).
When i read it first i thought: pure genius.
I'll report some excerpts but i recommend you read the whole article in his site.

Madam Kroes, Mr. Jobs, members of the open source movement, distinguished pundits, and fellow netizens: Almost five years have passed since I first sat in the audience at PDC 2003 and gazed at the wonders of what Microsoft promised us in Windows Vista. In that time, Microsoft has been tested in ways that none of us could have imagined. The company faced hard decisions about security and functionality, rising competition from Apple, Linux, Nintendo, and Sony, from Google, Yahoo!, and a host of startups no one had even heard of just months before. These competitive issues call for vigorous strategy changes, and I think it's fair to say that Microsoft answered the call.
(APPLAUSE)

...and more, an excerpt I like a lot...

The people's trust in Microsoft is undermined by poorly-researched tech pundits, Mac-friendly mainstream news reporters, special interest groups dedicated to open source, antitrust watchdogs, and dubious Vista complaints that are often snuck in at the last minute, without discussion or debate. Microsoft has automated telemetry data. They know your all-in-one printer was fixed months ago, Mr. Pirillo.
Unfortunately, you never recanted your spurious charges.
So, this time, people, if you send me a link to a news article or blog post that does not accurately reflect how Vista is doing in the market, I'll send it back to you with my veto.
(APPLAUSE)

Read it yourself. Pure genius. Go straight ahead Paul!

N.G.

I'll never stop saying it: Windows Vista is far away better than any previous windows version in many many ways. The best Windows experience since years.

1) System install.
The OS installer is simply wonderful. It does the wor completelty on its own and you have not to follow ste by step the procedure. Never seen an error, nothing. The format option from the Vista DVD is striking fast. No options for lacking thirs part dirivers, no sata 1-2-3-whatever floppy disk data... All drivers are recognized instantly at first run and, in case they aren't, they will after the first update of the system via Windows Update.

2) Aero.
With Aero active, everything is mor fluid and reactive while using the system (explorer, internet explorer and so on), there are not the typical Xp issues of seeing the tracks while moving an explorer window or the ugly jerking motion of the system windows. No missing areas in background under a windows with an operation running. Let's debunk this myth that Aero mode is a resource hog and slows the system: pure phantasies.
A modern processor (not necessairly a dual core and not necessairly an intel based) with 2 Gb of RAM, a viedo card with 256 Mb are the optimum for running Vista without any problem or issue. If you read otherwise on such a computer (a standar configuration for pc sinc 2 years ago!!!!) it comes from people who states the untrue and writes wthout any direct experience of this system.
I have 3 Gb of ram installed and i never used more than 2 while using very heavy apps.

3) Clean install.
If you are buying an HP pc, for example, just make sure to reinstall the Os from scratch, because these manifacturers do have the bizarre and bad habit of preinstalling software suites which are completely useless and heavy for the system: one of these is surely Norton which, beyond the fact you need to pay for that, is rellay invasive and do substituite the wel-.made Windows Defender, the best solution for disabling/manage  unwanted/useless software while booting. The same is for the too many (in)utilities like Realtek's and Ati's. A simple clean install from the original DVD will wipe away all this bloatware.
I did it already on Xp, but with Vista is far more better: Vista has been designed to function best with its default settings on.
Further more, Norton is so invasive to compromise the vista default routines for network recognition (i personally tested it). I strongly recommend AVG Free. There are more free antivirus suites but i found they lack fo an important feature represented by the incoming mail messeges scan (for example Antivir does not have this feature).
Anyway there's also who testify one year without antivirus run, formally having no problem with any virus one year after.

4) Compatibility.
Frankly, it's absurd to see how many people do believe to the too many lies and fud online.
I tried all during my first days with Vista Ultimate and, well, a part from one single case of a game (Star Trek Elite Force I, a game from 2003) i didn't find any particular issue on compatibility.
As it was on Xp, there's an option on Vista which let you choose, by right-clicking with your mouse on a file, to run an app (installer or executive) in compatibility even for Windows95 (!!!). Do you think it's nothing? Then consult a psychiatrist...
The only serious compatibility issue i encountered was on Adobe Illustrator in the CS1 version: the program just runs fine but there are problems on the instruments palettes while moving or modifying them. Minor problems as you can imagine.
Strangely, and i didn't expect that, Photoshop 4 runs without any issue and work more than properly.

5) Network.
I really don't understand if network administrators do really got what they are dealing with... sometimens i have strong doubts about that.
I have a cable network at home via router (traditional lan cable) and after leaving my old pc with Xp Pro to my dad, who finally discovered who intriguing is searching for news on the web (nes, video, free time) , i waited for this pc to be cleaned-up (there was a lot of dirt inside and fans did not work well lately) and i wanted to try if there were real issues on linking two pcs with Xp and Vista without knowing anything about networks.
No issue. I used all default settings in both pcs, i prepared the shared folders and by only one attempt the two were seeing each others without any further setting.
So i wonder what some people is talking about claiming "issues" with vista network administration.

6) Updates.
Windows update utility is really handy because it's not required to visit the Microsoft Update website in order to see what update is elegible for install. Windows Update in Vista, just let you know what's new both hardware and software side and ask your permission or your interest to install them. Even Windows Defender definitions are vehicled through Windows Update just 2/3 times a week.

7) Default applications.
Vista has lot of real useful programs both by home and work side. Windows Photo Gallery let you explore, archive, modify (adding tags very easily) of your photos with a nice preview tiles display. You can create even sort of compilations of photo-sets wich can be used as screen saver by the desktop options.
Windows DVD maker let you create dvds with interactive menus as the one you find in commercial dvds. If you have installed all the codec you can master all you want.
My advice for codecs is to download the Combined Community Codec Pack. With this pack you can play all formats such as, for example, the .flv format hich is the video file type for youtube content. There's Vista Codec Pack which is not bad and let you have the icon preview for flv files, but in my case it has some conflict problem with explorer..
Windows Media Player 11 is now a very cool player and has all the features a modern player requires after installing the codecs (I wonder why Microsoft does not include a codec pack fro WMP11 by default). If we see the evolution of WMP in years we should notice how it has been transformed from basically a crapware to a modern and elegant player which cna manage playlists, sincronization with mp3 players (exception made for the "closed" iPod), radio, video and so on. Unless you have an incopatible media device, it's the best player for music and video.
I tried them all:  from jetaudio to winamp to iTunes... WMP11, despite what you can hear by bloggers or not-so-experts, it is the best ON Windows (and it's not going to install any kind of boot bloatare without your permission like "bonjour" - which is installed with Adobe suites, tsk tsk - or MDSNResponder, useless apps you find without your permission after installing Quicktime or iTunes.
Media Center is simpòy great and unique. You can record many programs you you have a tv-in hardware on. This wonderful media app can run all your multimedia such as phtos, viedos, music and it shares them with Windows Media Player. There's nothing like this on other companies' side (nor by Apple or Open Source).

8) Service Pack.
Microsoft is not making anymore the service pack policy like it did with Xp.
Some time ago, with Sp1 for Xp, Microsoft did release an autoinstalling suite that, in fact, transformed your first version of Xp in a deeply different os.
Now, this is not the policy of MS. Service packs are provided as updates and as a collection of patches and hotfixes that are mostly present via Windows Update when necessary.
And this is why there are two different versions of SP1 for download: a "lighter" version which contains only the updates you need (59 megabytes pack) because you have already installed the rest in one year of patches and updates. The complete SP1 (or, if you like, the standalone downloadable ISO) is far more heavy and recollect all the patches you did not install via Windows Update.
So, there's a lot of FUD regarding any substantial magic change in your os (which personally i don't think it's needed for the fact Vista works very well in everyday use for bth work or fun/home use) or causing catastrophic troubles while installing is pure fantasy or bad science fiction.
So if you are expecting a SP which let you reach mars or other galaxies after installed, you will be disappointed. This is not anymore Microsft SP policy.
This is the same when we talk about SP3 on XP.
Then what can we expect from this SPs?
There are some minor upgrades like the improvement on files copy that, as Russinovich suggests, has a slownes which is much more perceptive than real:
on Xp you copy window is not appearing fast (it passes some second before you see the file transfer window) really because the system is calculating the data transfer time.
On Vista this is instantaneous. The copy windows appears immediately but you see the calculating count and then the effective copy.
Perception.
Reality is that Vista files copy is not the dinosaur you read about and, in any case, copying large amount of files through lan is no way different from the experience you have on Xp. And i tested it at work many times.
I think it depends on the architecture of your lan which, by the way, it's managed far more better on Vista pcs with default settings (by the way, if you are going to buy a HP pc i recommend immediate format with a clean copy of Vista to avoid the horrible aggression of bloatware preinstalled on those machines which, frankly, are more annoying than useful. Just erase and reinstall and you're going to work more than fine then).

9) Backup.
There are many important backup and search utilities.
We know a few of them already from XP (ehm, Windows Millenium) and one of them is System restore.
But the best is no doubt "previous versione" you can use on every single file by right clicking on properties window.
Just set this default system feature on all your HDs and, by selecting a single file, you can restore previous version of the file itself, just in case of error or when you save a file on another you haven't to.
No special effects like on Time Machine, but a substantial operation of automaitc backup on your own files for recovering in many different cases of need.
There's shadow copy too, which executes a real backup copy of all your system very useful in case of crash or backup from bad software install.
The point is that you don't need anymore any third party app to make some obvious/necessary action.
On Xp i needed to install many bizarre software in order to do so.
Now i don't. I use all system apps (and this happens for burning tools for cd/dvd. Never used Nero anymore for example. The system apps for that just work fine and they have a less stupid interface than Nero and similars).

So, in conclusion, if there's anyone who doesn't want to see all these important improvements by just being stuck on a ( years ago platform, then the decision it's them, but in just two years there will be a new os version and we'll register the same fud on Windows 7.
The reason for this "resistance" is both psychological and cultural.
It's a fear for change and, in times of uncertainties, it's a fear to go forward just by cradling ourselves in more "comfortable" cradles.
It's just a habit too. There's nothing bad in this but it is necessary to realize it and stop finding fabricated excuses in finding unexisting issues.
This is really what i think based on my everyday use and on my readings and then verifying iwith my direct experience with Windows Vista.
And i can assure you it's a better and happier one than any previous Windows version.

NG

Yesterday it happened what i expected since many years: the end of an annoying pubblicity hype.
If you ask common people about security in Windows systems they will answer that it is a real and serious problem, not for that per se, but only because the make-believe "machine" on the web and all realted stories do really insist on this point which is, as we'll see further on, less annoying on Windows than what we are used to think.

But the main aspect on which i'll focus is related to a news from yesterday declaring that in the macht for exploiting or hack the three main operative systems was won after 2 minutes by Charlie MIller, with a  $ 10,000 prize.
But contrairly to what you may think it's not Windows or Linux.
This is the primetime for Apple.
A weakness in Safari has been used to instantly hack the system.

Contest rules state that Miller could only take advantage of software that was preinstalled on the Mac, so the flaw he exploited must have been accessible, or possibly inside, Apple's Safari browser.

In fact the first to be broken was the MacBook Air, in a record time.
After years of hype and ridiculizing campaigns on Windows we finally start to see the bigger picture. 
And the bigger picture is that, believe it or not, the most secure system installed IS Windows Vista.
Data support this assumption which is not an opinion anymore.
When Vista first came out i had some doubts about the claims that it was the most secure OS, but after one year of a very few bugs and holes completely patched almost instantly, and by everyday use for work and play, I can really say it's true.

What really upsets me is the stubborn reactions from linux/apple users to such an unarguable collection of public data.
I hope this event will make soon change course to Apple marketing stupid and gratuitous ridiculizing (and completely fud, by the way) ads, in order to focus more on making a healthy competition in order to have more evolution on the market and happy customer to free decide, despite all fud or hype, where to go.
But the sings of that are not encouraging: i noticed that, AS USUAL, mac oriented sites are keeping an embarassing silence about that.

I could make a lot of examples where actually Apple is behaving worringly worse than Microsoft. One of these is quite recent and quite deceptive and regards the Apple Upgrade software trying to install undesired software (Safari) on your machine (and reading the ridcule eula statement who warns you to install this softare on one only Apple-labeled computer - ridiculous).

Microsoft stopped this arguably tacticts in late 1998, maybe forced by court judgments but they did it.
So, by now, who is still believing to the "think different" claim?
I never did. You should do the same.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,143901-pg,1/article.html

http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1893

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/27/pwn-2-own-over-macbook-air-gets-seized-in-2-minutes-flat/

http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2008/03/26/the-macbook-air-has-no-clothes.aspx

http://community.winsupersite.com/blogs/paul/archive/2008/03/22/the-thin-skin-of-apple-fans.aspx

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/03/28/black-hat-apple-lags-behind-microsoft-in-patching-security

http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20080327/tc_infoworld/96676

http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/27/Hacker-Super-Bowl-pits-Mac-OS-vs-Linux-Vista_1.html

http://dvlabs.tippingpoint.com/blog/2008/03/27/day-two-of-cansecwest-pwn-to-own---we-have-our-first-official-winner-with-picture

http://joaobordalo.com/articles/2008/03/28/a-tale-about-security

http://blogs.technet.com/security/archive/2008/03/27/mac-os-x-security-reality-check-1.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/security/archive/2008/03/27/mac-os-x-security-reality-check-2.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/security/archive/2008/01/23/download-windows-vista-one-year-vulnerability-report.aspx

http://content.zdnet.com/2346-12354_22-193859.html

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=405